


The Ties that Bind

by dark0angel13



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Mild Language, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2019-10-06 00:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17335448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark0angel13/pseuds/dark0angel13
Summary: What if Erza had an older sister?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I started two years ago and have on FFN. Since I made an AO3 Account, I figured I should put this story here as well. My writing has improved dramatically since I started this so bare with me on the beginning. This story is about my telling of Fairy Tail with Erza having an older sister, I do hope you all like it. The Point of View will shift with each chapter, from first person, to third person, until I turn it into third person permanently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is currently 34 chapters and growing and you can find it all on FFN under my same screen name, but the beginning is trash so I decided to rewrite it and post it here to my AO3. I will update, eventually. Thanks for your patience.

I forgot how cruel the world could be. For a split second, the thought of a person taking another life, was foreign to me. What happened to make humanity lose its grip on compassion? What was the trigger for this complete switch to one’s personality? The questions flash through my mind almost too quickly as hot tears stream down my face. My eyes seem glued to my sister as she's carted off to God knows where, and just like that, my heart shatters into pieces. 

A scream rips its way up my throat, and I’m clawing at the arm around my neck, nails digging into flesh in an attempt to free myself. The grip is strong, but no matter how hard I struggle, twist, and fight, escape seems impossible. All I can do is watch in horror as her form grows smaller; the carriage she’s locked in gets further from my reach. Their cries echo around me and my jaw tightens. 

“Struggle all you want little girl, you won’t save them.” The owner of the voice flexes his arm and breathing becomes difficult. “You would be going too, but a child who fights tooth and nail against everyone, will serve no purpose in the Tower of Heaven. You will die here, and while you bleed out you can regret not cooperating when you had the chance. You will never see your sister again.” A gasp escapes me when he relaxes and I’m doing my best to suck air into my lungs. Every nerve ending is alight with white hot pain, and I can feel my head pounding in time with my pulse, but giving up is not an option right now. Not when she needed me. 

“I’ll…kill…all of…y-you…” The threat comes out as a hiss and blackness encroaches on the edges of my vision; my arms feel like lead. 

“Little bitch!” His anger is almost palpable, and seconds later my hearing fails. The world seems to stop, time itself standing still and I feel something hit me, followed by a tugging sensation. My eyes widen and my body jerks, but there’s no pain. My struggling stops; my arms refuse to work anymore, falling limp at my sides, and I can feel a rush of liquid invade my mouth. My sense of taste is next to fail me, and even though I know blood dribbles from the corner of my lips, I can’t taste it. Nor can my nose pick up on any smell at all, as that sense quickly follows suit. Every sense I have, refuses to work. I can’t help a glance down; knowing full well what I’ll see, but still needing the clarification, and sure enough, the blade is there—protruding just to the right of my belly button—glistening in the moonlight, and tinged crimson. 

Words fail me then, and I can barely manage a gasp of air because each shallow breath I make, seemed an impossible feat. Even the slightest shift in my body is enough to move the blade and though it didn’t hurt, the damage would only increase. _Is this it? Am I going to die here?_ The questions come, but not the answers and when I look up, I meet her beautiful amber eyes now wide with terror. Her face is contorted in shock and I can see her hands trembling around the bars, her knuckles white from tension. 

Sound comes rushing back to me then, filling my ears with a myriad of acoustics that I can only barely comprehend. The iron grip around my neck is suddenly gone and it’s in that moment, when my legs refuse to hold me up anymore and my face is rushing to meet the ground at an alarming speed. My entire balance shifts on its axis and I hit the ground with enough force to bring a scream from my lips, pain exploding in my left temple. But it’s not me I was worried about. I couldn’t care less about what happens to me. All I cared about was her. Her image leaves my field of vision but I hear my name die on her lips before a bone crunching thud echos and her grunt of pain follows. 

All around me houses burned, livestock lay slaughtered, and people lay lifeless as the monsters who stormed into our small village, now vacate just as swiftly as they’d come. _What did we do to deserve this?_ The question repeats over and over in my head. The sound of the carriage is gone, leaving me to bask in the symphony that is raging fire and haughty laughter, and I hate it. They were just going to vanish now, literally getting away with not only murder, but child abduction as well. That simply could not happen. 

“Leave the girl to bleed to death. She can’t do anything anyway, and it would be a waste of time to finish her off. Let’s go boys.” That same gruff voice speaks, and I can hear the amusement. So, they were leaving me for dead? I didn’t warrant even a finishing blow? How insulting. My pulse races faster now; my blood boils so hot I can see steam emanating from my skin. The numbness in my limbs abates, replaced by seething hatred faster than I can comprehend, and something inside me seems to explode outward, ripping up the ground around me even as the pain fades from my consciousness. 

I know instantly what the feeling is. The magic lying dormant within me finally activating, and I feel the raw power of it running through me light a current. My strength swells, letting me know I still have the opportunity of ridding the world of the scum that remained in my village. I was given a second chance I sure wasn’t going to let it slip through my hands. The air grows silent around me as the magic rages like a torrent, swirling in a typhoon of brilliant indigo that rockets skyward. The blade comes free with a sickening squelch and a pained hiss escapes me. It was a beautiful dark steel, running the entire length of my body, the hilt decorated with woven red and blue patterns. 

I struggle to stand, my legs threatening to collapse under me, as the world spins. The sword is heavy, but at the same time, the weight of it has a calm washing over me. _I can do this._ The thought flutters through my mind as my right hand applies pressure to the wound in my stomach, the sword held in a death grip by my dominant one with every ounce of strength my body would allow. My magic chooses that moment to calm down, and it dissipates on the wind like smoke. 

“Hey!” The anger in my voice surprises me, the steadiness of it even more so, and the threat laced within the simple word sends a shiver racing down my spine. I watch as their forms freeze, and I swear not a single one even risks a breath in. I take a step forward, making sure my stance allows me to either attack or defend should the need arise. Two of the five remaining jumped slightly, stepping back on instinct if I had to muster a guess, and even from here I could smell their fear; see the beads of sweat glistening on their trembling forms, and a primal part of me loved that feeling. The hunters were now the hunted and I wasn’t going to let them get away. 

“Easy now…I know you’re upset…but killing us isn’t going to bring anyone back. It’s not going to make you feel better!” The man in front says shakily, his once arrogant chuckle, replaced with terror. 

“No,” I crouch and reel my arm back, ready to put everything I had into this, to ensure they never bothered anyone again. To make sure they never ripped apart another village; another family again. “but it’s a start!” 

I move then, my body blurring as I release all of my magic power at once, and the force of it obliterates everything in its path. The fires that run rampant through my village are snuffed out in an instant, their memory floating through the night in the form of ash, and the shock wave rockets the remains of the houses off into the distance, the screaming of the wind overpowering every other sound. They didn’t stand a chance really, and it’s over before I even straighten. 

In the wake of my sword, is a trench forming outward into a massive ‘V’ shape, originating at my feet and easily reaching what looked to be as wide as five houses. The effect has my entire body shaking and I can feel the magic fading. A sigh escapes me, and I turn on my heel to sprint off into the direction I last saw the carriage heading. 

_I will find you…_ My foot catches on a root and I hit the ground with a grunt, and stars dance in my vision. Air is suddenly difficult to acquire and the pain is slowly, agonizingly, beginning to return as the high of adrenaline fades into nonexistence. I try to stand, to move any limb at all, but my body refuses to obey me anymore; seems to be fine with succumbing to numbness as all sensation fades in my hands and feet. 

This is it. This is where I die. Alone, weak, and wondering if my younger sister would even live to see her fifth birthday. My jaw clenches as a fresh wave of tears fall and soak into the dirt. 

“At…least I c-can die…knowing I avenged…our p-parents…stay alive….” The last vestiges of strength leave me in a rush of breath from my already burning lungs, and blackness encroaches on my vision. The last thing I remember is her face flashing through my mind, and her name fading from my lips. 

“Erza.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until the story comes together, I will be doing a different point of view each chapter. I will switch between first, and third person so I do hope you enjoy this. As stated previous, I wrote this two years ago and I am posting it here because I feel like it.

_Erza_ _ran_ _,_ _her smile so bright that it gave the sun itself a run for its money as she opened her arms to embrace her sister. Up ahead she can see her, the girl that stood in front of anything to protect her, standing there waiting for her to catch up._

_She loved her older sister. She was strong, loving, calm, brave, everything that Erza wanted to be. Her hair was long that flowed down her back in a waterfall of_ _onyx_ _, stopping just past her shoulders and restrained with a tie to keep it in check. Her skin was pale and smooth, making the grey of her eyes stand out even more. She was dressed in black jeans that clung to her form and a white t-shirt that offset the paleness of her skin nicely. Top that with the jacket she never took off, boots, and a smile fi_ _lled with love and it was no_ _wonder why Erza loved her._

_Onward she ran, her blue sundress flowing freely and her bare feet making almost no noise as she moved. Her short red hair bounced lightly and her amber eyes_ _were_ _bright with excitement and adoration. Her pale skin matched that of her sister and together they were inseparable._

_“Wait for me sister!” She yelled happily, laughter evident in her tones as the afternoon sun beat down on them._

_“I’ll always wait for you silly. Now hurry up or we’re going to be late for dinner.” The soft voice called out to Erza, giving her an extra boost of speed.  Her outstretched arms waited patiently for the little girl to catch up and run into them. Then on the walk home she would carry the girl on her back so her feet didn’t get hurt. Yes, Erza loved her sister very much._

_The crimsonette_ _laughed_ _her face lighting up as she closed the distance. Seconds later though, the atmosphere changed and the girl before her, the sister she loved so much, turned from a happy girl, to shocked so fast that Erza stumbled to a stop. The girl that was once smiling was now crying and holding_ _desperately_ _onto an arm around her neck. The light from the sun vanished, only to be replaced by moonlight and even in the darkness Erza could see the blood. From her sister’s stomach protruded a blade and_ _on her face was a silent scream and pleading eyes._

_“No!” The little girl screamed, taking off once again to her_ _sister’s_ _side, this time in hopes of saving her. The faster she ran, the farther away she seemed to get, the sight before her ever shrinking off into the distance. Erza shot out a shaking hand, her sister’s name coming from her mouth as the picture before her changed yet again. This time blackness closed in quickly but not before she watched her sister fall to the ground and not get up. After that image, the blackness seemed swallow Erza._

 -

-

-

“Riley!” Erza screamed, shooting up straight, her heart pounding so fast she was sure it would burst. Her body trembled with fear as she looked around, her eyes adjusting to the darkness slowly before figures became clear. She was in a cell, there were five other children with her, and she was not only still in her blue sundress but her wrists and ankles held large shackles, signaling her mark as a prisoner. 

All around her noises flooded in. Scuffling from the other people, the sound of far off yelling and banging, the sobs of another child off to her right, and footsteps moving ever closer to her. She stiffened instinctively, her arms going up to protect herself as she yelled, “Please don’t hurt me!” 

“Woah easy there. No one is going to hurt you in here. We’re all prisoners like you. See?” A boy said calmly, holding his hands up so she could see his shackles. He was taller than her, clad in a tattered white shirt and dark pants. He too was barefoot, along with every other kid there. His brown eyes were kind and his matching hair lay atop his head in a messy manner that almost looked like he had just woken up. 

Erza lowered her arms and gave him a once over before she forced herself to relax slightly. “Wh-where are we?” She asked shakily.

“You know as much as we do. We were all taken from our homes and families and when we came to, we were in this cell. My name is Simon what’s your name?” His voice was light and somehow that made her feel better.

“Erza….” She replied as more children surrounded her. A girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, and cat like features introduced herself as Millianna and offered a smile and an outstretched hand.  A boy named Sho, who was younger than Erza, introduced himself next. He was clad in the same attire as Simon but his bright blonde hair seemed to brighten the entire cell and his dark eyes held fear and shyness but beneath those, warmth resided.  A taller boy with black hair and a somewhat arrogant air about him said his name was Wally Buchannan. Again he wore the same as Sho and Simon. It seemed to Erza that all the girls wore dressed and all the boys wore dark pants and white shirts. Everyone was barefoot and shackled but for the most part she wasn’t alone.

The red haired girl gave her best smile to them and jumped slightly when other voice rang out. “Don’t you have a last name?” He walked with pride and held his stance defiantly and instantly Erza was reminded of her older sister. To her they were so similar it brought tears to her eyes. His hair was a brilliant shade of blue and his eyes darker than night. His skin was pale and around his right eye was a marking that immediately drew attention in.

“N-no…just plain old Erza.” She responded quietly, whipping away the tears before she began to cry again.   

“You gotta have a last name…” The boy trailed off and looked her over, causing her to blush in the process. After a second he smiled and shouted, “I got it! How about we make your last name Scarlet. It matches your hair.” His voice was sure and sounded happy and kind as he lifted a strand of her red locks.

“Jellal you can’t just go giving out last names!” Shouted Wally with a smirk on his face as he stood up for the newest member of their group.

“Erza Scarlet…I like that.” The red haired girl replied with a small smile about her face.

“My name is Jellal Fernandes; it’s nice to meet you Erza.” He flashed her a big smile and held his hand out to her.

“It’s nice to meet you all.” She replied, remaining where she was on the ground as Simon spoke up again.

“So who is Riley? When you screamed that name you made us all jump out of our skin.” He smiled and sat next to her.

Erza stilled and looked to the ground, fresh tears welling in her eyes again. “She…was my older sister…”

The room grew silent for a long while, no one even daring to breathe. 

“Was?” Asked Millianna finally breaking the silence.

Erza nodded and brought her knees to her chest as the tears she had been holding back slowly started to roll down her cheeks. “She was killed trying to protect me…” She buried her face in her arms, not wanting to see their faces as her sister’s image flashed through her mind again. Seconds later arms wrapped around her and Millianna’s voice rang out.

“I’m so sorry Erzy…” The nickname seeming to make her feel a little bit better. A hand was then placed on her shoulder and Jellal spoke.

“I’m sorry about your sister Erza, but don’t worry because we’re your family now. I swear we will avenge Riley and we will escape this place. I swear on my life.” His voice was strong and his grip protective and again it reminded her Erza of her sister.

“Thank…you…” Was all the red head could manage to say without her voice cracking from tears.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this story, every other chapter will switch from Riley to Erza as they grow up until they reunite so that's why some chapters are in first person with Riley, and the others in third as they follow Erza. Anyway, here is another rewrite. Please enjoy,

Pain. It’s the first thing that registers in my head when consciousness pulls me from my blissful non existence. It’s everywhere, radiating out of me in waves of white-hot agony, and a pained groan escapes me. How much time has passed since I blacked out? The answer eludes me and it’s a struggle to open my eyes. The light is bright, the air warm around me, and I wince. Just breathing made me want to scream. Make it stop…make the pain stop… my mind is racing as I attempt to find a more comfortable position, trying anything to alleviate the discomfort, but even the slightest twitch of muscle has me seeing stars, and a scream rips its way up my throat. 

“Hey,” a strong female voice echoes around me and hands grip my shoulders gently. “Calm down or you’re going to injure yourself more!” She’s aggravated as she insists for me to remain still; frustration flashes through her eyes, but her hands are light on me. I follow her voice, focusing on only her as a distraction as another wave of agony rips through me like a current and if not for her hands holding me down, I would have come off the bed. Her features were worn, her eyes holding many years of knowledge and experience while her artisan hands told me she was used to working with them. Her hair was a faded pink but her cloak is what caught my eye. Deep red with... were those teeth? 

Her demeanor is rigid, every move having a purpose, but I sense a softness from her that I can’t place. She makes me feel safe. She crouches beside me, her hands adjusting the pillow under my head in an attempt to make me more comfortable and even though it doesn’t help the pain, I appreciate her actions. The bed I’m lying in is small; the cottage—if you could call it that—smaller still. A dresser, a chair, and books stacked anywhere and everywhere. It’s cluttered, but organized. To my right is a sink, a work table riddled with glass tubes and liquids of varying colors, and yet more books. To my left, the only window in the place, and I can see the sun streaming through the overcast sky. 

Every breath hurt, and my heart was racing in my chest and I groaned, unable to contain my discomfort any longer; my hands reach up to push her off. I need to regain control of the situation but her grip is steadfast and moving is nearly impossible. 

“Let me go,” the words come out as a croak and every syllable that leaves my lips only adds to the pain. “I need to get out of here. I need to find—“ 

“Take it easy my child, you are safe here.” The words are deep and soothing. “You are badly hurt and need to rest and heal before you can do anything.” I find myself relaxing as he speaks, my eyes following the sound to where he’s approaching from the opposite side of the cottage. Like the woman, his features show age and wisdom, but unlike her, he smiles when our eyes meet. He’s dressed in blue pants, a red shirt, and a tan cloak that nearly touches the floor due to his small stature. 

“I’m sure whatever it is you’re looking for, will be there when you are well again.” His smile reaches his eyes but all I want to do is scream. 

“You don’t understand,” I counter hoarsely as I struggle to sit up. Every move hurts, every breath hurts. “It’s not something I’m looking for, it’s someone, and if I don’t find her soon…” I can’t even finish the sentence. My throat burns, my body is alight with agony, and I can feel fresh tears welling. 

My hand goes to my stomach when another twinge rockets through me and I can feel a wetness under my fingers. I’m bleeding, and when I pull my hand away my stomach lurches at the sight. _There’s so much…_

The hands holding me down move to my stomach, and even the feather light touches skimming my skin send jolts of pain through me, and a hiss leaves my lips. 

“Then tell me what they look like, and I’ll do my best to find them.” He’s so confident when he speaks; so gentle when he places a hand on my head. “What’s their name?” 

“Don’t entertain her with false hope Makarov.” The woman snaps as she walks back over, arms full of medical supplies. “This girl takes priority right now. The missing person can be addressed after, when she’s not bleeding to death in my house.” Her words are matter of fact and even though I know she’s right, her words anger me none the less. 

Her eyes settle on me again and I feel my heart jump into my throat. _This is gonna hurt._ “You need to hold still before you make things worse. How do you expect to find anyone if you’re dead?” I don’t like this woman. 

“Give the poor child a break Porlyusica, she’s scared.” Makarov flashes me a smile and sits by my head. “Don’t mind her my dear, she’s always this mean.” 

“Shut it you old fool.” Her growl is menacing and when her fist connects with his head, he grunts. 

“Can you tell me your name for starters? Then we can get to the other details in a bit.” He composes himself immediately and continues on. 

The room falls silent, the only noise being Porlyusica tending to the gaping hole in my stomach and it takes everything I have to not scream, while they wait for me to answer. _One step at a time…_

“Riley,” I keep my eyes on Makarov, his presence the only thing keeping me calm at the moment. “My name is Riley.” 

“That’s a nice name Riley—“ 

“I need to find my little sister. Erza… she was taken.” I hadn’t intended to cut him off, but if I didn’t let someone know she was gone, the fear of never finding her would swallow me whole. The room is silent as she finishes wrapping my stomach and I have to clench my jaw to keep the scream in. It hurts so bad. 

“That should do for now,” she pulls the blanket back over me. “Keep still or I’ll restrain you. Last thing I need is you dying on my property.” She’s such a ray of sunshine. I don’t blame her though. She’s going out of her way to help me and I’m grateful. 

“As soon as she’s back to reasonable health she’s out of here Makarov.” Her words are clipped and she doesn’t meet my gaze, instead turning back to her books, and I can’t help the frustration that takes hold of me. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gone as soon as I’m able to move.” I snap back and her entire body stiffens. She doesn’t answer and that’s fine with me. I didn’t ask for her help, and the sooner I get out of here, the sooner I’ll be able to find Erza. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Riley, can you tell me what happened?” He pulls up a chair and sits like he has all the time in the world, and maybe he does. “Can you tell me what happened?” His eyes are curious. 

“When did you find me?” Before I can answer his questions, I need to know how long I’ve been here, how much time I’ve wasted. 

“I found you two days ago, bleeding to death about ten miles from here.” His words have my blood running cold. Two whole days? How am I even alive right now? How am I going to find Erza now? The questions flood into my mind like a dam has broken, and I can’t concentrate on anything other than the fact that I may never see her again, and that realization is heart breaking. “Porlyusica had something I needed, so you are lucky I ventured from the guild hall that day.” 

I see, so he’s from a guild. The image of Erza and I in a guild crosses my mind for a short moment, and I want to hold onto that hope, but the reality of it all is just impossible. 

“Then it was about two days ago that my village was attacked.” The memories of it all flash through my head at light speed and my entire body tenses. “They came so suddenly, men with masks. They were everywhere, taking children from their homes and killing any adult who tried to stop them. My parents were killed trying to help Erza and I escape, but they got her anyway.” Pain throbs in time with my pulse as I speak, and it’s hard to concentrate on anything. 

“I tried to stop them... to save her...” I feel the tears on my cheeks and frantically wipe them away. Crying isn’t going to change anything, isn’t going to bring anyone back. “They stabbed me, and left me for dead.” Their faces flutter through my mind and my hands ball into fists in my lap. The anger takes hold like a vice grip and my entire body is trembling as red encroaches on my vision. My body suddenly feels like there is fire in my veins, as the night replays over and over. Then, like a rubber band snapping, the heat is gone and nausea sets in, weakness following shortly after and I raise a brow in confusion. 

“I placed a magic cancelling bracelet on your wrist in case something like this happened.” Porlyusica speaks as if she can read my mind. “Using magic in your condition will kill you.” 

Sure enough, a thin metal band meets my gaze and panic surges. How am I going to find Erza without magic? 

“You need to remove this thing now,” No amount of pulling, twisting, or prying is getting this thing off me and I’m so angry I see red. “If I can’t use magic, how am I supposed to find my sister?” I’m all but screaming at her when the last word leaves my lips but she takes my anger with grace, her eyes hard but understanding at the same time. 

Makarov is out of his chair in an instant, his arms held up to show me he meant no harm as his voice drifts to me ears. “Easy Riley, she was just trying to help you. Using magic in your condition will kill you. She was just looking out for you.” 

“Without my magic I can’t save Erza!” I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. 

“She will remove it when your wound is less critical. With you being so young and clearly untrained with magic, she did it as a precaution which turned out to be a wise decision seeing as you can’t control your magic yet. Try to relax and let’s finish our conversation, then maybe tomorrow or the day after we can remove that. Okay?” His voice is calm and for reasons I can’t understand, it makes me feel better. 

Just like that, the tension in the room shatters and the adrenaline coursing through me dissipates like smoke on the wind, and I’m left shaking and dizzy. Moving hurt, breathing hurt. _Existing_ hurt. 

“How old are you my dear?” His question distracts me from the pain if only for a moment. 

“Seven.” 

“You don’t act that young, I assumed you were older.” It feels like he’s trying to keep me calm and its reassuring me that I can trust him. 

“My mom used to say I’m mature for my age.” Her face flashes through my mind and my throat tightens. 

“If they were taking children, why did they stab you and leave you behind? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.” 

“When they grabbed Erza I fought them as hard as I could. The main guy, he said I was too defiant or something like that.” His words are a blur to me now. 

Makarov nods, “I see. You were too independent and difficult for them to handle and control, so they discarded you like they did the adults. I’m sorry that happened to you my child. Would I be correct to assume this is when your magic awakened?” 

The man nodded and scratched his chin, “Ah I see. You were too defiant for them to handle so they discarded you like they did the adults. I am sorry to hear that this happened to you child. Is that around the time you awakened your magic?” 

“Yeah,” For an old man, he was deceptively intuitive. “it all happened so fast, it feels like a dream.” Explaining brings me to the verge of tears again, and the room falls into silence. 

“I’m sorry your sister was taken,” Makarov watches as my eyes travel to the sword perched in the corner, still tinged red with my blood. “On the other hand, having taken that many men down with a single attack shows you have a lot of potential.” 

“Her magic power is almost frightening.” Porlyusica chooses that moment to interject and her words fill me with pride. I want that power; I need that power. 

“With the right training and proper leadership, I have no doubt you’ll become a very strong wizard. What do you say Riley? Would you like to come with me and join my guild?” His question hangs in the air and surprise washes over me. Am I even old enough to join a guild? “You would be able to train and get stronger and I’m sure one day you will find your sister.” He answers the doubt racing across my face, and his words repeat in my head like a mantra. 

_You will become a very strong wizard…you will find her someday…join my guild…_

The entire world seems to freeze at once as his words resonate within me. _Is this really an option? Can I really do this?_ I can almost picture it. Training and growing stronger. Finding Erza. I can picture our happy ending, and part of me wants to accept his invitation without a second thought. The other part though, the stubborn side of me that wants to do this alone, hesitates for entirely too long. Why waste valuable time training when I can be spending it tracking her down? 

Conflict overshadows any other thought in my head. _Do I become a wizard? Do I continue alone?_ So many questions that don’t have an answer, and I feel a headache coming on. 

“You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to, but training and having friends as allies wouldn’t hurt you.” Makarov speaks as if he already knows my answer and I don’t know whether to be angry or amused. “Knowing someone has your back is one of the most comforting feelings in the world, and with the training you would do to become stronger, you would have an easier time searching instead of just going right off the bat. If you can’t control your magic, you have no hope of fighting and defeating anyone who is skilled or even experienced. I highly suggest coming with me child. I can help you. I can make you stronger.” When he puts it like that, he makes it hard to say no. 

His eyes tell me no lies, and his words hold a wisdom I can only hope to achieve someday and the thought of joining tempts me. Maybe this won’t be a waste of time. Erza’s face flashes through my head and my heart beats so fast, I’m afraid it’s going to burst. _How is she doing? Is she even alive?_ The answers elude me, but I was going to find out even if it killed me, and the only way to do that is to get stronger. 

“I will join your guild. I will train every day and I will get stronger. I will find Erza.” My eyes settle on Makarov and when he flashes me a proud smile, I know I've made the right choice. 

“Welcome to Fairy Tail Riley. We are happy to have someone as loyal as you are. You will make an amazing wizard someday.” His words fill me with pride. 

I nod in return and offer my best smile as I grasp his outstretched hand. I have a home now, and I find Erza, so will she.

**Author's Note:**

> So that was chapter one! I will be updating this story weekly (gives me time to re-read it and change the really REALLY bad parts haha) don't hesitate to tell me how you feel though!


End file.
